Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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TITLE: GARMENT STEAMER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a device using steam to remove
wrinkles from garments.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Clothing irons exist which use steam. Generally, they have
an internal compartment for holding water. When the steam
mechanism is activated, water in the compartment is heated to a
boiling point, producing steam. The steam is released through
vents on the bottom of the iron when activated by the user. An
apparatus which operates in this manner is US patent 5,832,639
by Muncan, entitled Portable Garment Finishing Appliance.
Irons are heavy and cumbersome to use on clothing. A
person can be scalded by accidentally touching the heated iron
base. Further, a specialized flat surface, such as a ironing
board is typically required to ensure effective operation of the
iron.
Handheld devices exist for applying steam to remove
wrinkles from clothing. Generally, the devices are held near a
wrinkled garment and the device is activated to steam which is
directed towards the garment. See for example, US patent
3,395,469 by Gilbert entitled Pressing Iron and US patent
5,121,464 by Hanada et al entitled A Steamer with Controlled
Pressure.
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Handheld devices are difficult to use effectively. It is
difficult to wave the devices near clothing while simultaneously
holding the clothing taut near the devices.
Further, other steamer devices have chambers to store
steam, which is controllably released. The stored steam builds
in pressure, which can scald the user if the stored steam is
inadvertently released.
There remains a need for a garment steamer which is easy to
use and effective.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides garment steamer having a closed tank
for holding a liquid, an opening in the closed tank, a
controllable heating element associated with the tank for
heating the liquid to steam and a detachable shaped attachment
which fits over the opening. The detachable shaped attachment
has an opening cooperable with the opening on the tank, an
internal conduit associated with the opening, a shaped surface
and a plurality of vents on the shaped surface associated with
the internal conduit for venting the steam therethrough.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a garment
steamer is provided comprising a generally closed tank for
holding a volume of liquid, an inlet to receive the liquid into
the tank and a controllable heating element associated with the
tank for heating the volume of liquid to steam. The tank has an
upper shaped section with a shaped surface and a plurality of
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vents on the shaped surface for venting the steam from the tank
therethrough.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the
drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a side view of the invention;
Figure 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the invention;
Figure 3 is a side view of the invention in operation;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the invention;
Figure 5 is a side view of an attachment for the invention;
Figure 5a is a top view of an attachment for the invention;
Figure 6 is a side view of another attachment for the
invention;
Figure 6a is a top view of an attachment for the invention;
Figure 7 is a side view of another attachment for the
invention;
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Figure 7a is a top view of an attachment for the invention;
and
Figure 8 is a side view of an accessory for the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Wrinkled synthetic materials such as nylons and acetates
may be damaged in the ironing process. Further, rayon and
cotton materials are very difficult and time consuming to iron.
Ironed woolens tend to lose their shape; however, when they are
steamed first, followed by a light touch-up with an iron, very
little damage is done to the material.
Rayons, cotton, acetates and woolens materials are easily
finished using steam. Steaming allows clothing shrunk by
laundering or by wear to be returned to their original size and
shape. The present invention allows garments to be steamed
quickly and easily, and prolongs the life of the garment,
compared to present household steamers which only remove unset
light wrinkles.
Figures 1 and 2 show features of garment steamer 1. The
garment steamer comprises generally closed tank 2 which stores
water (or other suitable liquids) inside it. The tank provides
a sturdy base for the locating the garment steamer on a suitable
flat surface, such as a table. With this design, a separate
ironing board or steaming board is not required. The stability
of the garment steamer can be augmented adding sufficient weight
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to the bottom of the tank. It can be further appreciated that
mounting clips can be attached to the base to facilitate
securing the garment steamer to its working surface.
Water is added to the interior of the tank through inlet 4.
It can be appreciated that a cover or door can be placed over
the inlet. Window 7 provides a visual indication of the water
level inside the tank.
Inside the tank, heating element 12 heats the water to
produce steam 14 therefrom. In this embodiment of the
invention, the heating element is powered from a regular
household electrical circuit through an electrical circuit
connecting to and controlling the heating element. The heating
element has the wattage of typical household electric kettles,
having approximately 1000 watts of power. Power cord 6 connects
the garment steamer to the electrical circuit. Switch 5
selectively connects the heating element to the electrical
circuit to activate the heating element. For the sake of
clarity, the electrical circuit controlling the heating element
is not shown. It can be appreciated that additional features
can be provided by the electrical circuit including an automatic
shut-off circuit which turns off the heating element when no
water is in the tank or when the heating element has been left
on after a pre-determined length of time or when the garment
steamer is oriented on its side.
Referring to Figure 2, when the garment steamer is
operational, steam 14 created from the water in the tank rises
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through the upper section 21 of the tank. The upper section
tapers upwardly, channeling the steam to neck 22. The tapered
shape of the upper section concentrates the flow of steam. This
makes for a more effective steamer, providing a more
concentrated steam source. From the neck, the steam leaves the
tank through an opening 17 and enters the detachable attachment
3.
The detachable attachment is hollow providing conduit 23
for the transport of the steam. A second opening 24 on the
detachable attachment cooperates with opening 17 of the tank and
connects to conduit 23. Shaped upper surface 19 on the
detachable attachment has a plurality of vents 8 on it.
Accordingly, steam from the tank leaving opening 17 enters the
detachable attachment through second opening 24, rises through
conduit 23 and leaves the detachable attachment through vents 8.
The upper surface is made of a relatively thin, rust
resistant material, such as stainless steel or plastic. A
thinner upper surface reduces the amount of steam condensate
that collects thereon. It can be appreciated that the vents can
be oriented in various spaced relationships to each other. It
can further be appreciated that the size of each vent may vary
depending on its location on the surface.
Generally, the upper surface of the detachable attachment
is larger in size to the neck. This provides a relatively large
working area from which steam can flow to clothing or material.
The lower portion 25 of the conduit is concavoconvex, i.e. the
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interior shape of the lower portion is convex. This shape
allows any steam condensate to flow back through the neck to the
tank to the bottom. It can be appreciated that other shapes
would also allow condensate to flow back into the neck of the
tank. The shape of the transition area between the upper
surface and the lower portion is rounded, thereby providing a
continual, edge-free working surface. This reduces the
possibility of a garment becoming snagged on the detachable
attachment while being steamed.
Figure 3 shows the invention in use. Typically, garment
steamer 1 is placed on a suitable flat working surface, such as
table 11. Water is poured into garment steamer 1 through inlet
4, the garment steamer is plugged into an appropriate electrical
outlet and the garment steamer is turned on. The internal
heating element heats the water to produce steam. The steam
rises through the tank, up the neck, out the opening, into the
detachable attachment and to the garment through vents 8.
User 9 stands near the garment steamer and holds ends of
garment 10 in his hands. Areas of the garment are steamed by
holding the garment tightly against the upper surface 19 of the
detachable attachment. As steam rises through vents 8 and
contacts the garment, it removes wrinkles from the garment. To
steam other areas of the garment, they are successively drawn
across the upper surface of the garment steamer by the user
drawing the garment back and forth across the upper surface.
The drawing motion is indicated by arrows 20. It can be
appreciated that this invention provides a steamer which is easy
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to use, can be set up and used with minimal additional equipment
and does not require a separate ironing board.
Figure 4 shows the invention with the detachable attachment
3 removed from the tank 2. Tapered neck 16 extends from neck 22
and fractionally fits with neck 26 of detachable attachment 3.
It can be seen that opening 17 of the tank cooperates with
second opening 24 of the detachable attachment. It can be
appreciated that other mechanical arrangements are available
which would provide a suitable locking arrangement between the
detactable attachment and the tank. Some other arrangements
include a screw and thread mating and other friction fit
arrangements between the neck of the tank and the neck of the
detachable attachment.
It can be appreciated that the design of the garment
steamer is simple and inexpensive. There is no complex internal
plumbing to channel the steam towards a steam outlet. Further,
steam generated from the stored water flows directly up through
the neck out the detachable attachment. There is no build-up of
steam pressure in the tank, providing a safe operating system,
unlike other systems where built-up pressure can cause scalding
if released inadvertently.
Also, the garment steamer uses only steam to remove
wrinkles from clothing. No heated surface, such as an iron
surface, contacts the clothing. As such, heat-sensitive
materials, such as nylon, rayon, woolens and acetates can be
used on the garment steamer.
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Figures 5, 5a, 6, 6a, 7 and 7a show different detachable
attachments. The different detachable elements provide
flexibility as to the types of garments which can be steamed by
the invention. Like figure references are used where
appropriate.
Figures 5 and 5a show a detachable attachment for steaming
larger, generally flat garments, including the body portions of
shirts. The shape is generally cuboid in shape with rounded
edges. The top surface 26 is generally ovoid in shape. The
bottom edge 27 of the attachment tapers upward from end 35 to
end 36. Neck 26 cooperates with the neck of the tank. It can
be appreciated that other sizes and shapes for this attachment
can be used for larger, flat garments. The top surface of the
attachment parallel to the bottom of the base.
Figures 6 and 6a show a detachable attachment for steaming
columnar areas of clothing, including sleeves of shirts. The
attachment is a horizontal columnoid, with end 37 being larger
in width to the end 38. The top surface 30 tapers in width from
end 37 to end 38. The side profile 27 does not taper. However,
it can be appreciated that an attachment can be provided which
does taper upwards along its bottom. Neck 26 cooperates with
the neck of the tank. It can be appreciated that other sizes
and shapes for this attachment can be used for sleeved garments.
The top surface of the attachment parallel to the bottom of the
base.
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Figures 7 and 7a show a detachable attachment for steaming
relatively small, delicate areas of clothing, including ruffles
and frills. The attachment is generally ellipsoid in shape.
The top surface 32 tapers in width from first end 33 to second
end 34. The bottom edge 31 tapers upward from first end 33 to
second end 34. The top surface of the attachment parallel to
the bottom of the base.
Figure 8 shows an accessory 39 which can be used with the
garment steamer. It is an expansion brace for columnar parts of
garments, such as sleeves. The expansion brace has two arms 40,
attached by outwardly biasing spring mechanism 41. The
expansion brace is inserted into a sleeve and the spring
mechanism biases the two arms apart from each other, thereby
stretching a sleeve taut. The sleeve can then be drawn over the
garment steamer to more effectively remove wrinkles in the
sleeve.
In another embodiment of the invention, the detachable
attachment is replaced by a fixed attachment. The fixed
attachment has a corresponding second opening, neck, conduit,
upper surface and plurality of vents like the detachable
attachment, but is permanently attached to the tank.
Although various preferred embodiments of the present
invention have been described herein in detail, it can be
appreciated that the present invention is not restricted to what
is described above and shown in the drawings, but can be changed
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or modified in many different ways within the scope of the
invention defined in the attached claims.
